Efficacy and outcome of epidural infusions of ropivacaine and fentanyl for patient-controlled labor analgesia

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and outcome of 0.125% ropivacaine with fentanyl 5 μg/ml via epidural for analgesia in labour.Methods:In a study,180 nulliparous parturients had epidural analgesia after artificial rupture of membrane and was infused with 15 ml solution of 0.125% ropivacaine and 5μg/ml fentanyl followed by an epidural test dose of 4 ml of 1.5% lidocaine.Supplementary infusion was provided on patient's request with 8 ml of the same analgesic solution each time.Another 160 primigravidas who did not receive epidural analgesia were included in the control group.Results:There were significant differences in the visual analogue pain scores between two groups.The duration of active period in first labor was longer than that in control group and the rate of using oxytocin in analgatic group was higer than that in control group.Both of the two aspects had significant differences.There were no significant differences between two groups in the duration of second labor,in the rate of instrumental delivery and the rate of cesarean section,in the incidence rate of stained aminiotic fluid with meconium,in Apgar scores,birth weight and amount of bleeding.Conclusion:An epidural infusion of 0.125% ropivacaine with fentanyl 5 μg/ml for labor analgesia provided excellent labour pain relief without adverse effects on maternal and neonatl outcome,and without increased both instrumental delivery rate and cesarean section rate.